Committee publication · Correspondence · 17 June 2026
Correspondence from the Minister for AI and Online Safety following up on the oral evidence session on 14 April 2026, dated 10 June 2026
Summary
Minister Kanishka Narayan responds to the Foreign Affairs Committee's 14 April 2026 oral evidence session on disinformation diplomacy. The letter provides details on Ofcom's enforcement role, the National Security Online Information Team's (NSOIT) remit and capabilities, and the government's consideration of a National Counter-Disinformation Centre. It confirms £3m media literacy investment (2022–24) but declines to disclose total counter-disinformation spending for national security reasons.
Key findings
- NSOIT monitors narratives and trends in the information environment using publicly available aggregated social media data; it does not monitor individuals but assesses risks to public safety and national security from mis- and disinformation regardless of source.
- Ofcom's role under the Online Safety Act focuses on ensuring service providers have appropriate systems and processes to mitigate foreign interference risk at scale, not on demanding removal of individual content or referring content to government.
- Government declines to publish total Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) spending citing operational security risks, but highlights £3m in media literacy initiatives (2022–24) and Integrated Security Fund allocations.
- Risk factors for foreign interference include fake user profiles, anonymous accounts, encrypted messaging, recommender system gaming, and service-specific demographics; these are not inherently harmful but features most linked to illegal harm.
- Government is considering the Committee's recommendation for a National Counter-Disinformation Centre and will update Parliament on whole-of-government coordination mechanisms.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Minister Kanishka Narayan, Dame Emily Thornberry MP, Foreign Affairs Committee, Ofcom, National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT), Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT), Home Office, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
Notable line
“The team does not monitor individuals but focuses on narratives and trends within the information environment and risks they pose, regardless of source or actor.”
Key Quotes
“… the government is clear-eyed about the scale and pace of the threat and resolute in confronting foreign interference online.”
“NSOIT leads DSIT's operational response to information threats which present a public safety or national security risk to UK audiences.”
“The team does not monitor individuals but focuses on narratives and trends within the information environment and risks they pose, regardless of source or actor.”
“… we do not share our total spend on mitigating information threats publicly because of the risks inherent in revealing the scale of our efforts to adversaries.”
“Under the terms of the OSA, Ofcom is responsible for ensuring that service providers have appropriate systems and processes in place to protect people in the UK from harm …”
“… malign interference from foreign states requires a coordinated response from a range of actors including government, the intelligence services and regulators.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗